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Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Use of a Filter Cartridge for Filtration of Water Samples and Extraction of Environmental DNA

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Published on: November 25, 2016

Developing and Evaluating Aquatic Passive Sampling of Environmental DNA for Microbial Community Profiling.

Cheng Qian¹, Gert-Jan Jeunen², Wu Han¹

¹School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Molecular Ecology Resources

|March 17, 2026

Summary

Passive sampling offers a more efficient method for environmental DNA (eDNA) biodiversity monitoring in aquatic ecosystems. This technique significantly increases eDNA yield and detected biodiversity compared to traditional active filtration methods.

Keywords:

Hong Kong biodiversity eDNA metabarcoding multitrophic qPCR

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Last Updated: Mar 19, 2026

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Area of Science:

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding
Microbial ecology
Aquatic biodiversity monitoring

Background:

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is revolutionizing biodiversity assessment.
Sample collection, particularly active filtration, presents a significant bottleneck.
Passive sampling is a potential alternative for eDNA collection.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and evaluate passive sampling for microbial biodiversity monitoring.
To compare the performance of passive sampling against active filtration.
To optimize passive sampling parameters for eDNA extraction.

Main Methods:

Developed passive sampling devices for eDNA collection.
Tested various submersion times (up to 24h) and eDNA extraction methods (enzymatic vs. mechanical).
Compared passive sampling results with active filtration in estuarine and coastal environments.

Main Results:

Passive sampling for 24h with enzymatic extraction maximized eDNA yield and biodiversity.
Passive sampling consistently outperformed active filtration, increasing eDNA yields by >100% and diversities by >50%.
Passive sampling revealed significantly different microbial community compositions and higher sensitivity in detecting environmental factors and bioindicators.

Conclusions:

Passive sampling is an efficient and practical method for microbial biodiversity monitoring in aquatic environments.
This method overcomes limitations of active filtration, offering enhanced eDNA detection.
Passive sampling improves environmental assessment by increasing sensitivity and detection capabilities.